December 9, 2020

Why human rights?

On the occasion of Human Rights Day, we tell you the story of how the pandemic would have looked like, had human rights been implemented.

Closing schools was a measure to contain the virus, but there was no consideration for children’s nutrition in low-income families. Non-cash payments might be a good idea to prevent contagion, but they can also be profoundly discriminatory.

Social protection systems must address the specific conditions of informal workers, often consisting of undocumented migrants, who face systemic racism.

Farmer markets should not be discriminated against in favor of supermarkets.

Fresh, sustainably produced and diverse food is crucial to for us to be healthy. Lockdowns must take into account specific measures to tackle the impact of sexism in confinement circumstances. One of the best ways to avoid pandemics like COVID is to prevent them from happening. Transforming industrial food systems is part of it.